Florida Senate - 2014                                     SB 536
       
       
        
       By Senator Simpson
       
       
       
       
       
       18-00109-14                                            2014536__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to reclaimed water; requiring the
    3         Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and
    4         the Department of Environmental Protection to conduct
    5         a study in cooperation with the water management
    6         districts on the expansion of the beneficial use of
    7         reclaimed water and to submit a report based upon such
    8         study; providing requirements for the report;
    9         requiring the departments to provide the public an
   10         opportunity for input and for public comment;
   11         requiring that the report be submitted to the Governor
   12         and the Legislature by a specified date; providing an
   13         effective date.
   14          
   15  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   16  
   17         Section 1. Reuse of reclaimed water.—
   18         (1) The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and
   19  the Department of Environmental Protection, in cooperation with
   20  the five water management districts, shall conduct a
   21  comprehensive study and submit a report on the expansion of the
   22  beneficial use of reclaimed water, including stormwater and
   23  excess surface water, in this state.
   24         (2) The report must:
   25         (a) Identify factors that prohibit or complicate the
   26  expansion of the beneficial use of reclaimed water and recommend
   27  how those factors can be mitigated or eliminated.
   28         (b) Identify the environmental, engineering, public health,
   29  public perception, and fiscal constraints of such an expansion,
   30  including utility rate structures for reclaimed water.
   31         (c) Identify areas in the state where traditional water
   32  supply sources are limited and the use of reclaimed water for
   33  irrigation or other uses is necessary.
   34         (d) Recommend permit incentives, such as extending current
   35  authorizations for long-term consumptive use permits for all
   36  entities that substitute reclaimed water for traditional water
   37  sources that become unavailable or otherwise cost prohibitive.
   38         (e) Determine the feasibility, benefit, and cost estimate
   39  of the infrastructure needed to construct regional storage
   40  features on public or private lands for reclaimed water,
   41  including the collection and delivery mechanisms for beneficial
   42  uses such as agricultural irrigation, power generation, public
   43  water supply, wetland restoration, groundwater recharge, and
   44  waterbody base flow augmentation.
   45         (3) The departments shall:
   46         (a) Hold a public meeting to gather input on the study
   47  design.
   48         (b) Provide an opportunity for public comment before
   49  submitting the report.
   50         (4) The report shall be submitted to the Governor, the
   51  President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
   52  Representatives no later than December 1, 2015.
   53         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2014.